Sunday, September 20, 2009

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Missouri, September 18, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Another Catholic bishop has stated that too many aspects of President Barack Obama's health care reforms violate basic and necessary Catholic social principles, such as respect for human dignity, safeguarding human life, conscience protection, and the principle of "subsidiarity."

Johnston says that of all the ways "to skin the health-care cat," President Obama's proposed reform raises serious and troubling questions for Catholics, such that the bishop says he cannot in good conscience support it.And this is where I get to be the mean guy who has the bad manners to point out that there happens to be an 800 lb. gorilla in the room -- where the hell are the VAST majority of our stalwart USCCB?

Out of over 300 members, only the following have had the stones to say something*? I'm getting that sinking feeling that in this case, silence is consent.

*Not exactly an all inclusive list, but if anyone has any other to add, please let me know.

Bishop James Vann Johnston of Cape-Girardeau and Springfield, Missouri.

Bishop Thomas Doran of Rockford, Illinois.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas.

Bishop of Robert W. Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri.

Bishop Samuel J. Aquila of Fargo, North Dakota.

Bishop R. Walter Nickless of Sioux City, Iowa.

Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, Colorado.

Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, Oregon.

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UPDATE!

I stand corrected. Nan has informed me that American Papist has a listing of 41 Bishops who have spoken out against ObamaCare. So my assesment that roughly 97% are silent is wrong. It's only almost 9 out of 10 that are noticably silent.

8 Comments:

Here in Iowa, Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines has written a piece making it clear that health care cannot include abortion. Bishop Walker Nickless (whom you list) has issued a ctitique of ObamaCare similar to Bishop Johnston.

As for here in the Archdiocese of DBQ, Archbishop Hanas has maintained the same silence that he has since the openning of a Planned Parenthood Clinic in DBQ a year ago. As the metroplolitan Bishop in Iowa he should be taking the lead. instead, he is making it clear he cares more about illegal aliens than the unborn. &, IMHO, he will have to answer for that someday.

As will all the rest of those Bishops who are being just as silent.

Sadly, even if they did speak up loud & clear & as a whole, after the past few years of mostly inaction towards pro-abortion Catholics, very few would take them seriously.

I don't mean forget our Bishops. Obviously we must respect our Bishops and pray for them. What I'm *trying* to say, with my pregnancy-befuddled brain, is:

Ever notice how when people form into "groups" or organizations they become like sheep????

They get wimpy and follow their group's status quo.

A small majority of disenters (sp?) end up leading the flock astray ~ because so many of them just sit there like silent lumps because they are WIMPS. Even if they disagree they are TOO SCARED to speak out!

The last thing that we need is for any of our Bishops (or Priests) to join a national group!! Our Bishops need to leave the USCCB and stand on their own two feet and stop with this hanging out in the background while their "group" speaks for them.

If each Bishop was on his own in his own dicese (sp?) then he wouldn't be nearly so heavily influenced by this sheeple group-think nonsense. If he had the guts to speak out then he wouldn't be subjected to pressure and intimidation and all that other behind-the-scenes nonsense that takes place in groups and organizations.

I say the USCCB needs to be disbanded. It's obviously a useless organization that has done the Catholic Church in America NO FAVORS.

Until then we Catholics outside of the USCCB should totally ignore the USCCB and carry on with our lives as if the USCCB does not exist.

Forget waiting around for the USCCB to grow a spine. We don't need a sheeple organization. While we lay people have no authority within Holy Mother Church, we have authority with our own selves! SO we can get **our** butts in gear on all fronts and the USCCB can go dance in the corner for all we should care!

We should not wait to be led. We know exactly what God expects of us! Our leaders are dropping the ball. Well, that does not remove our personal responsibility as individual Catholics to obey Holy Mother Church.

If we want to repair all of the damage that has been done then WE need to toe the line. The USCCB can blither all it wants. We don't have to listen.